The Schmooze lies at the intersection of high and low culture. Here, the latest developments and trends in Jewish art, books, dance, film, music, media, television and theater are all assimilated into one handy pop culture blog.
The Schmooze
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The New Han Solo Is Jewish – and Steven Spielberg Discovered Him at a Bat Mitzvah
(JTA) — The next time you’re kvetching about having to go to another bar or bat mitzvah, think about this: Steven Spielberg could be there, and he could make you a star. That’s how it worked out for Alden Ehrenreich, who is reportedly finalizing negotiations to be the next Han Solo. Ehrenreich, who is Jewish,…
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FYI’s New Season of ‘Arranged’ Features an Orthodox Couple’s Wedding Journey
The FYI Networks’ second season of “Arranged” will follow a Modern Orthodox Jewish couple as they make plans for their wedding and begin their married life together. A popular show for the new network, “Arranged” features three American couples as they prepare for their arranged marriages and shadows the newlyweds for a short time after…
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Watch Rob Reiner Slay ‘Morning Joe’ Hosts in Trump Coverage Debate
During a promotional stop on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” for his new movie, Rob Reiner got into a heated debate with hosts Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski about the media’s role and responsibility in covering Donald Trump’s run for office and the role of journalists in holding the GOP presumptive nominee accountable for his policies. “Since…
The Latest
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Watch Amy Schumer Take Over a Stranger’s Tinder Account
Funny woman Amy Schumer just took over a Vanity Fair staffer’s Tinder account and gave us an ultimate how-to in online dating. Like, avoid swiping yes on any guy posing with a guitar and, if you’re feeling a little flirty, bring up your bloatiness. Here are just a few of the valuable tips we learned…
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A Forgotten Suitcase of Secrets Is Reunited With Its Jewish Owner’s Family
Seven years ago, Charlaine Scholten, the tenant of an apartment building on Beethovenstraat in Amsterdam, found a worn, yet intact suitcase in a cupboard that contained old photographs, postcards, oil paintings and newspaper clippings. The suitcase remained untouched for six years, when Scholten stumbled upon it again in the attic and decided to inspect it…
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Spend Mother’s Day with Our Favorite Jewish Moms
This year, we’re celebrating Mother’s Day with some of our favorite Jewish moms in pop culture. Because who else wears those neurotic, loving, occasionally overbearing tendencies better than Sylvia Fine, Joan Rivers and Helen Seinfeld?
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Woody Allen Likes Bernie Sanders But Endorses Hillary Clinton
Woody Allen, for the first time in recent memory, took a tentative step outside of the bubble of stereotypical white maleness to express support for Hillary Clinton in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter to promote his forthcoming film “Café Society.” “I’m a Hillary fan,” he said, “I like Bernie very much. I think what…
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Rob Reiner on the Catharsis of Making a Film About Son’s Drug Abuse
Rob Reiner has a joke about the Forward. We’ve just wrapped up our interview on his new film, “Being Charlie,” and he pauses mid-way out the door to ask me if I know an old saying about the paper. I shake my head. “If there’s a big story comin’ out for The Jewish Daily Forward,…
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‘Sababa Snacks’ Seeks a Kosher Stamp for Its Medical Marijuana Edibles
With flavors such as molé spice-cacao-seeds, this gluten-free, vegan, soon-to-be certified kosher treat could easily be mistaken for the latest arrival in the Whole Foods snack aisle. Except for the fact that each fruit and nut cluster contains 20 milligram of THC — the active ingredient in marijuana. When creating “Sababa Snacks” — which are…
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Jewish Actors and Writers Score Big in Tony Award Nominations
It was a good year for Jews in theater as indicated by the just-released 2016 Tony Award nominations. Though “Hamilton” swept a record-breaking 16 nominations, Jewish plays and actors earned several notable nominations, including “Fiddler on the Roof” and two Arthur Miller plays. “Fiddler” was nominated for Best Revival of a Musical and both “The…
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‘Fiddler’ and Arthur Miller Score Big in Tonys (But Not as Big as ‘Hamilton’)
The Broadway hit “Hamilton” scored a record 16 Tony Award nominations on Tuesday, solidifying its front-runner status to win the top prize, best musical. “Hamilton,” which has caused a ticket-buying frenzy unlike any seen on Broadway in years, features a multi-racial cast in a hip-hop, R & B-inflected musical that tells the story of U.S….
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Film & TV The new ‘Superman’ is being called anti-Israel, but does that make it pro-Palestine?
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Fast Forward Tucker Carlson calls for stripping citizenship from Americans who served in the Israeli army
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Music ‘No matter what, I will always be a Jew.’ Billy Joel opens up about his family’s Holocaust history
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Opinion This German word explains Trump’s authoritarian impulses — and Hitler’s rise to power
In Case You Missed It
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Opinion What Democrats fighting Trump should learn from Germany’s failure to stop Hitler
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Fast Forward 31st anniversary of AMIA bombing marked by ceremonies in Argentina, Israel and, for the first time, Congress
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Fast Forward Mike Huckabee to Israel: End hostile treatment of Christian allies
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Fast Forward Connie Francis, 20th-century star turned TikTok sensation, recorded an album of Jewish songs in 1960
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